A FIRE in a pub beer garden raged out of control on bonfire night, damaging parts of the outside of the building.

Although not intended as a public bonfire, the owners of The Vaults pub, pictured, on Wheelock Street, Middlewich, lit a rubbish fire at about 5.45pm - and within minutes the blaze had grown so large that three fire engines were sent to put it out.

Crews from Middlewich, Sandbach and Holmes Chapel attended and doused the flames within minutes - but only after parts of the outside of the building had melted, or been damaged by smoke.

A Middlewich firefighter said: 'It wasn't a massive fire and one of the engines turned back as soon as it arrived, but it did melt several beer garden lights, guttering and plastic soffitt boards, which are used for helping to waterproof roofs, as well as damaging the fascia of the back of the pub with smoke.'

Pub owner Tracy Flaherty said: 'We were trying to burn down some of the material from our refurbishment, but the wood was so dry it took hold really quickly. It wasn't a bonfire, it was just us trying to deal with some of the waste.'